Momentum: How a Series of Small Wins Maximizes the Flywheel Effect
“Big things happen because you do a bunch of little things supremely well that compound over time.” Jim Collins
“One little thing doesn’t make a difference. But ten little things do make a difference.” Swen Nater
A series of small wins makes:
- Hard jobs easier.
- Quitting unlikely.
- Problems less troubling.
- Environments brighter.
- Big wins attainable.
Momentum – how to leverage the flywheel:
#1. Develop people.
Lousy leaders press for results without developing people.
Behaviors are targets too. Describe, honor, and celebrate behaviors that create winning environments.
If it’s only about the numbers, people are tools.
#2. ‘Where’ comes before ‘how’.
Describe where you choose to go before you choose how to get there.
“The answer to how is yes.” Peter Block
#3. Practice 5X encouragement.
Encourage 5X more than you correct.
Which team goes further? A team that constantly cheers for each other or a team that constantly criticizes each other?
#4. Focus on learning.
What are we learning?
How could we do better next time?
What do we need to stop because it isn’t working?
#5. Take action quickly.
Delay kills momentum.
The sooner you begin spinning the flywheel, the quicker you enjoy the flywheel advantage.
Momentum begins with the first step.
#6. Keep spinning after winning.
Wins are endings. You win the race at the end.
Momentum is a series of successful endings that enable beginning again. Reaching today’s goal is an ending point that enables a new beginning.
Momentum killers:
- Critiquing small wins.
- Devaluing small contributions.
- Controlling rather than releasing. Permission-asking kills momentum.
- Feedback without encouragement. I believe in you.
- Lack of accountability. How are you going to improve? When will we follow up? How can I help? What’s the next step?
Confront momentum killing attitudes and behaviors.
What kills momentum?
What builds momentum?
Added resources:
Four Stages to Help Your Team Maintain High Morale and Momentum – Steve Gutzler
Swen Nater explains how John Wooden taught players to put on their socks! It’s the little things.
Part of the the issue is the small wins become so small as to be irrelevant to the overall task. It’s like saving to pay off your mortgage: unless you save big, you end up paying it off one month early. OK, it’s earlier, but one month over twenty five years is barely noticeable.
Also, the people doing the work don’t always see a 1% improvement (that cost them 5% more effort) as any kind of a win, no matter how good it looks on a spreadsheet.
Thanks Mitch. If it doesn’t matter, don’t mention it. But whatever you do, find a way to fuel momentum in yourself and others. Waiting for the big stuff only means you have to restart the flywheel. But, doing something that’s meaningless doesn’t help either.
Momentum really begins with a commitment to the value of positive energy. Once we have that, we can figure out how to keep the wheel spinning. But, why bother if we don’t see value in positive energy? Or, if we don’t believe our actions matter?
One thing is certain. All wheels spin down unless someone keeps them spinning them up.
“Momentum really begins with a commitment to the value of positive energy.”
Damn that is deep
The answer to both is the same – I will focus on the positive. Taking a moment to reflect and celebrate the small wins builds momentum. Too often, we only focus on results without taking the time to enjoy and celebrate the process.
This post has given me a great idea. I am going to ask my team to write a list of personal and professional “wins” over the last 30 days. No matter how insignificant they may be, a win is a win and it builds momentum.
Thanks Dan!
Have an amazing day.
Thanks Joseph. So glad you popped in today. It’s always great to receive practical applications. Give people an opportunity to notice/remember their wins and the wins of others.
I agree completely, the little things when combined make a huge impact. I also think that when you start acknowledging these little things, even the really small ones, it shows that you do notice and that you do appreciate the little things. This in turn says, “Hey, they do realize that I can make a difference” and the staff that likes being appreciated will most always try to receive that appreciation again. When you acknowledge good teamwork, it makes others want to be a part of that team, expanding the positivity. We, as leaders, need to remember who made us want to become a leader, what it was that made us want to be better and start becoming that leader.
Thanks Sharon. You comment got me thinking about the choice of noticing. What do I choose to notice today. Mistakes and problems are easy. It’s a commitment to notice progress. We don’t see a plant growing, but eventually it’s full grown.
I’m on board with every little bit helps, the small does become the large with momentum and positivity. I see where “Mitch” is coming from but we are not talking Finances, we are building leaders.
Thanks Tim. A little hear. A little there. And one day you realize how far you’ve come. Don’t get me wrong. I love big wins. The problem is ignoring the day-to-day.
I agree and it helps in how you frame the small wins and not just mention the win in passing. We can’t ignore the good feeling that comes from with just an email saying “thank you for your hard work”.
Creating small wins can can develop into bigger and bigger wins over time. The flywheel idea is pretty cool in that once you get a project some momentum, it can be easy to continue those wins to get to the absolute end of the project. That momentum can create confidence in your workers and in time you can see a difference in the day to day operations that push the ideas forward.
A supportive culture that weaves your mentioned skills is vital for team success. Also, the leadership must follow through and provide the resources and be in with the team doing the hard work for the employees to have buy in. Slogans and thematic words fall short when the leadership is all talk and no support. When the leadership is transparent and real, the team believes and achieves together.
This post reminds me of Al Pacino’s ‘Game of Inches’ speech in Any Given Sunday. It’s a game of inches, and we have to celebrate EVERY inch… Highly recommend that speech to round out this idea. I’m going to play it right now and get fired up to celebrate the little wins.
Thank you for the article.
We have all heard the phrase “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The 5 series of small wins reminded me of this phrase. A series of small wins during a difficult or long process/task is the best way to complete that challenge. During my time in the army, we had to run this very steep hill and I should note I do not like running. So, running this hill was not something I enjoyed at all. Looking at the top of the hill from the bottom would make me feel like there is no way I am making it to the top. The way I would complete running the entire hill without stopping or even slowing down was to make the run a series of wins. I would break down certain sections of the hill as the next checkpoint/accomplishment. It made the hard task easier, less like to quit, legs hurting less of a problem, motivating others and myself and lastly, the hill attainable.